MaiMai
by MyDearestBrena
Summary: Mai and Joey struggle with their feelings for eachother
1. All over pizza

Mai-Mai (Chapter one: all over pizza)  
  
Mai, Heather, and Tanya were sitting in the pizza place talking when suddenly Heather's mouth dropped. "Wow" she breathed, " That is the sexiest guy I have ever seen!" Heather was new in town and Mai really wanted to find her a good guy, so she turned around curious. "Oh god!!!!" she wwhispered,"It had to be Him didn't it!!!" She hid her head in her hands. "Please don't let him see me," she prayed. Tanya watched curiously as Mai started to blush furiously "God" she thought "its just Joey Wheeler". Lately Mai had been thinking a lot about him, his great sense of humor, His dazzling smile and Dimples, His Perfectly Messy blond Hair, and Those big soft brown eyes.Stop she silently screamed to herself, you cant fall for him, what would that do to your reputation!!!!!! Everyone wants me, but no one can have me, I'm not breaking my motto!!!!!"  
  
Joey walked into the pizza shop very hungry. He had just lost another duel to Yugi and that always worked up his appetite. He ordered a piece of Pizza and a coke the looked for a place to sit. The place was packed; there were no empty tables. "Darn it" he said under his breath, that's when he noticed a blond head. "Mai?" he thought and couldn't help but grin. He walked over to their table. "Hey Mai-Mai!" he said giving her a dazzling grin "Mind if I sit with you guys?" When she didn't answer, he looked at her curiously and sat down.  
  
"Oh god, he's seen us," She thought. Heather started chirping "ohmygosh, ohmygosh, ohmygosh, he's coming over!!!!!!" He said something, but all she caught was Mai-Mai. When Tanya started sniggering she snapped back into reality very angry. She smacked Joey across the head "Don't call me that" she hissed. He just shrugged rubbing his head, she thought she saw him smile, but wasn't sure. "Wow, his hair is so soft." she thought then went back into her dream world.  
  
"Wow she hit me hard, she must be in a bad mood" He thought. He continued eating his pizza and looked at her friends. One was staring at him with eyes as big as saucers that had a hungry look in her eyes, she kinda scared him but with Mai in her mood he definitely would not risk saying anything, he didn't need another smack. The other was looking at Mai with a curious look in her eyes. Joey followed her gaze and saw Mai looked kinda sick. Are you okay Mai-Mai?" He asked softly "Mai?" Before he knew what happened His face was stinging horribly and Mai was heading towards the bathroom, her normal friend following her. She looked like she was about to cry. He turned to the scary one to ask her name and heard her gasp. "What?" he asked. "She got you hard, There's and imprint of her hand on your face!"  
  
Mai hadn't meant to slap, she had been deep in thought, and he scared her!!! She had been thinking about him more and more of late. She had been surprised when she felt his warm hand on her shoulder, but the hurt and shock in his innocent brown eyes had brought tears to her eyes. She had to hold them back though or Tanya would know. Suddenly Tanya started to snigger again "Mai-Mai." she laughed. This made Mai mad. In an instant she forgot all the kind things she was going to say to Joey as she stormed out of the bathroom.  
  
Joey saw Mai coming over to the table took one look at her and decided now it was time to leave or there would be trouble. Even from a distance he could say the angry gleam in he eyes. "Bye Heather" He said quickly. "ohhhhhh bye Joey" she said romantically. He would have said something more but Mai was really close now. He felt her hand close on his arm and force him too look at her.  
  
Mai was furious when she saw Joey and Heather talking. "I bet they are flirting" she thought "ooooooo, that Joey! Hadn't he called her Mai- Mai, didn't that make him her Joey" she couldn't believe she was thinking this. She didn't like him, She wouldn't like him, she couldn't like him. Could She? No, he would ruin her reputation and that was the most important thing right? She saw Joey try and make a hasty escape. "Ooooooo!!!! He knows me to well!!!!!" She grabbed his arm and turned him too face her. Her hand went to her mouth when she saw the side of his face. "My god" she thought "I didn't mean to hit him that hard!!!!" She examined the imprint of her hand on his face. " Joey." she breathed, "I'm so sorry" He smiled ruefully "It's okay Mai" He said, "I know I scared you". She frowned and ran her fingers over his cheek feeling his skin on fire. He winced and she drew away. " Wow that was an intimate moment" Mai thought blushing "Don't let it happen again!!!!" "Why'd ya go and wince, you fool!!" Joey thought, but out load "seeya at school Mai-Mai!" "Yeah seeya" she said. Then realizing he called her that ridiculous pet name again turned to yell at him again only too find he'd left. She returned to the table to find Heather with a look of complete happiness on her face making Mai feel a little guilty and Tanya once again giggling about Joey's name for her. 


	2. Joey's past

Mai-Mai (Chapter two: Joey's past)  
  
"The only good thing about school starting again is soccer!" Joey grumbled to Yugi and Tristan. They sighed, "Yeah, I know" the two said at the same time. They laughed and Tea chimed in "Yeah, and the homecoming dance next weekend!" she was secretly hoping Yugi would ask her. "Ugh, why do girls like dances so much?" Joey complained, "You'd like them to if you had a girlfriend Joey" she replied smugly. Joey scowled at her. Suddenly Tea noticed a bruise on his cheek "How'd ya get that?" she inquired pointing at his cheek. Joey frowned more, not wanting to pursue this subject. All he said was "Mai". "Yes?" he heard a high feminine voice say. He turned around already knowing who it was. "Hi Mai-Mai!" he said cheerfully, wiping away his frown. She walked up to him and poked him in the chest, "first, don't call me that!" she said, the poking him again "And don't, I repeat don't talk about me behind my back!!!" She said this one very angrily. Then she noticed two things. One he was smiling throughout the whole thing, and two he had a good-sized bruise on his left cheek. "d-d- did I do that??" she stuttered, concern clear in her voice. He looked kinda solemn and his cute grin disappeared. "I'm sorry," she said kinda quietly. "S'okay!" Joey replied obviously happy again. He draped his arm over her shoulder, "but, I will let you make it up to me!" he teased. "Let me walk you home from school today!" "Don't you have soccer practice or something?" Mai said desperately, she didn't want to be seen with him ever, but his warm arm on her shoulder felt so good. "Doesn't start till tomorrow!" he said bringing her out of her trance. She new she had to go, someone was bound to see them, she looked into his big brown eyes and couldn't say no. "Alright" she said a little hesitantly. She heard her friends around the corner. She mumbled some excuse and eased her way out from under his arm and left quickly. Joey was sad to see her go, it had seemed so right, her under his arm, she needed to decide who were a better friend, he and Yuge, Tristan, and Tea, and even Bakura. Or that gossiping group of squabbling hens that just turned the corner, He saw them give him inviting glances, Then he saw Heather giggling mad and decided then, that he was late for geometry and ran down the hall.  
  
After school Joey met Mai in the courtyard. As they walked, they talked about normal things. Joey found out Mai's cousin, Connor was visiting, and, It just so happened so was his sister, and they were the same age. They both agreed to get them together while they were visiting, which were all of October. "So do you mind just living with your Dad?" Mai asked. Joey's eyes became hard and he didn't say anything for a seconds. Then he simply said, "I live alone". He looked at her so see her reaction. She looked at him to, but didn't meet his eyes. "Where's you're Da-" He cut her off "they locked him up, for beating up on me" Joey said quietly. Mai couldn't say anything but she met his eyes, she saw a deep sadness in them she had never seen in his eyes, "god." she thought "If you know where to look (his eyes, duh), you can read him like a book, His eyes are like a biography of his life. All the happiness and sadness that had ever happened to him were locked up in there (feeeeeeeeew!!!!!, a lot of description). "Do you want to talk about it? You don't have to if you don't want to" she added in softly. "No." he sighed he eyes softening at the caring look in her eyes she was giving him "I don't mind talking about it, it ended when I was fourteen, ya know. When I was eight my mom and my sis just plain packed up and left, It wasn't like she didn't love me or anything" Joey said defensively " She was just scared for my sister, she didn't think he would hurt me again." Mai didn't quite agree, his mom sounded cruel, leaving her little son in the hands of a child abuser. Joey continued, "He came home drunk every night. I would find but he always found me" Joey felt cold at the memory "He would punch and kick me till I was bruised and bleeding and apologized for whatever he accused me of, usually driving my mother away." Joey made a fist "He would leave then, calling me a worthless dog, leaving me to take care of my cuts." Joey sighed, unclenching his fist "He actually enjoyed it." Mai lightly touched his shoulder and she saw the eyes of a scared little eight year old that cried himself to sleep every night" It scared her a lot, she had never gone through anything like that before and even at the thought of it she felt pain. She shuddered to think what it really must have been like. She respected Joey a lot more after hearing his story, he was always so innocent, carefree, and happy, when throughout his childhood he had barely been loved. Mai decided to change her approach. "I'm surprised your mom lets Serenity stay all alone with you!" She said cheerily. "Mai!" he snapped haven't you learned anything since the duelist kingdom!! Maybe I seem happy go luck at school, but I'm not really that irresponsible! I would never let anything hurt Serenity and my mom knows it!!" He ended kinda quietly. Mai had a shocked look on her face and her eyes were huge. He shouldn't have snapped at her like that, but he thought she had realized he had matured and that he would never let anything hurt his sister. "I'm sorry Joey, I, I, was just trying to change the subject," she said guiltily. "Once again, it's okay!!! I shouldn't have snapped at you, but I will let YOU repay me once again, I would just like to reserve a dance at homecoming with the popular Miss. Mai! Who I would like to add is also Mai-Mai, but" He said obviously teasing now "I must share my beloved Treasure!" Mai was giggling so hard she couldn't find words to tell him to stop with the pet name. He bowed and said once more "Bye Mai" before strolling down the street. My walked in the door, closed it, the leaned against it. She sighed loudly, she just hoped he wouldn't forget the promised dance; she would make sure she picked a slow song. 


	3. The dance

Mai-Mai (Chapter three: the dance)  
  
Joey was not happy about the dance. He was not dressing up, and although many girls had asked him to go with them, he had declined. He put on jeans and a t-shirt and left.  
  
Mai, on the other hand, absolutely couldn't wait. She had on a black mini-skirt and a sparkly matching tube-top and was raring to go. Many guys had asked her, and she had flirtatiously told them all to save her a dance, but there was only one person she wanted to dance with.  
  
As soon as he got there he headed over to the snack table. He was eating some pretzels when Mai walked in. "Wow." he breathed, "She looks really" gulp "hot!" He was about to go say hi when Heather grabbed his arm and basically "begged" him to dance. "Okay." he said hesitantly, worried he was missing his only chance. Heather squealed and pulled him to the dance floor, when she wasn't looking he grimaced.  
  
When she walked in she noticed two things. One ALL the guys were ogling at her, and two Joey was staring too. Then she saw him get up and start toward her. Her heart caught in her chest. Was he going to ask her to dance? Suddenly she saw Heather go over to Joey and hang on his arm. They talked briefly then Joey went with her onto the dance floor. Why that conniving little. No!!!! she is your friend, you want her to get a good guy don't you? Well don't you?!?!?!?! Sigh, Yeah she wanted her to find a good guy, just not that one.  
  
Joey wasn't having fun, Heather was a great dancer, but he just wasn't into it. "I'm feeling a little tired. I'm just going to sit down??? Heather pouted but let him go to the side. He flopped down on a chair, not caring who was next to him.  
  
Mai was unhappy, sure she had every guy at her heels begging to dance with her, and sure all the girls were jealous, but for once that is not what she wanted. She excused herself and sat down. The next thing she knew someone sat next to her. She turned to him the "Get lost bucko!!!!" already on her tongue when she saw a big blonde head. Her heart raced. There he was next to her, slumped in a chair looking thoroughly bored. Her heart raced would he ask her to dance? He had told her to save one, had he been joking? Her heart stopped talking and her brain saw golden opportunity. "Hi, whatcha doin?" she said loudly "Akkkkkk!!!!!!!" He yelled. When his heart calmed down he said "What was dat for?!?!?!?!?" He turned to see who his disturber was, He had been lost in thought and they had really scared him! He looked and saw Mai, giggling hysterically, when she calmed down, he asked her a question He had been wondering since he realized she was next to him "Why aren't ya dancing Mai-Mai?" Could she have been waiting for him? Had she remembered she had promised him a dance? Nahhh, He told himself, Why would she waste her time with him, a street kid and a punk. "Well" she said, snapping him out of his reverie "All the boys here are pigs!" she told him matter of factly. "Am I a pig?" he asked playfully a wicked grin spreading across his face. "No of course not!" she said shocked he would think she thought that of him "You are a kind courteous young man who realizes I am more than a pretty face, BUT, the only thing that could use a little correcting is that stupid pet name you have for me, It drives me crazy!!!!" she humphed. She looked to see what he thought of all this and saw a strange look on his face, it was a friendly one, but almost more, It made her feel warm inside "Ohhhh, I think you like it." he purred. Mai was getting nervous, Did he know about her feelings?No!!!!! Mai saw only one way out of this predicament and that was to ask him to dance. "Wanna." the song playing ended and the DJ announced a couples dance, "Dance" Mai ende, wow things were not going her way, or were they? Joey wrapped his arms around her and they danced slowly to the song loving the feel of each other. Mai leaned against Joey's chest and sighed as she heard his heart beating, Never let it stop. Joey loved the feel of her soft body pressed tightly against hers, he heard her sigh and hoped she was happy, god, He prayed, Let her always be this happy. 


End file.
